Prestwich Pharmacy in Manchester had been using the same dispensing robot for 17 years until its managing director Fin McCaul decided to it was time to revolutionise his pharmacy’s operations by installing a Meditech robot. In the first of a series of diary entries, he tells Independent Community Pharmacist how the technology is improving his business…

The first question to ask is why did I change my dispensing robot? It was a challenging decision to make in the current climate and I had lots of questions to consider; was the investment really worth it? Were there better options available, such as hub and spoke? Could I afford the downtime to change? I had a set of non-negotiable standards that needed to be met.

• Reliability – it was critical the robot had virtually no downtime once installed.
• Speed – it needed to be a significant improvement on our current system.
• Efficiency – all stock must go in the preferred options and be delivered in a timely manner.
• Additional resources – it must free up staff time. We had been managing our old system.
• Cost efficiency – it needed to reduce our ongoing costs.
• Support – it must give us this 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Fast, efficient instillation – it must prevent stress on our staff and patients during the changeover.

Meeting Meditech’s team in Belgium inspired my trust

We were looking for a quality product that was reliable, fast and large enough to meet our needs. We also wanted a robot that could be placed in a new position, not in the existing space, to minimise disruption to our day-to-day dispensing. Meditech was the only company we spoke to that could make it happen.

This year, I decided to visit to Belgium to meet Meditech’s team and was sold immediately, not only on the product, but the team behind it. Their passion for the product inspired my trust. After some testing, Meditech’s system was found to be fully integrable with Positive Solutions, our PMR system at Prestwich Pharmacy. It was a perfect fit.

New technology quickly took effect at Prestwich

The transformation was remarkable, amplified by insights from my staff. Vicki, one of my experienced team members, marvelled at the robot's ability to handle heavier products effortlessly thanks to its innovative picking mechanism.

Not only can the robot arm deliver multiple items of different dimensions at the same time, but items can be grasped from either side of the arm without rotation. There was also another standout feature – the robot's adaptability and reliability in the face of errors.

Unlike its predecessor, the Meditech robot is unlikely to stop functioning even when reporting minor errors, maintaining a consistent level of productivity throughout the day. Not only is this robot faster and more reliable, but it can also put stock away and dispense at the same time. It’s a real game-changer for a busy pharmacy like ours.

Another member of my team, Lisa, was impressed with the robot's prowess in handling inventory. “Rejects are rare and the system's capacity to store more items was a game-changer for space management and general dispensary operations,” she said. “This robot can also store more products than our last system, which allows us to have better control over our inventory.”

The installation has dramatically reduced the manpower needed to maintain inventory, freeing up my staff's time and my own time to focus on developing the business, improving service and delivering premier patient care.

Minimal disruption to services

Ensuring minimal disruption to services during the installation phase was paramount. It was essential our existing robot functioned normally right up until the new one was operational. The Meditech robot, unlike others, was designed to distribute the weight of the machinery across the floor, granting unparalleled flexibility in its placement within the building. And it fulfilled specific needs. For example, precise requirements regarding chute output into the dispensary below were met with a tailored design of conveyor belt placement and chute layout.

Quick instillation

The new robot was constructed and installed in just three days. My team started early and stayed late to make it happen, which I really appreciated. In the weekend that followed, it was out with the old, in with the new, as we meticulously unloaded and reloaded 12,000 items from the original robot into the new system. Meditech provided hands-on training for my staff, who were able to use the robot within a couple of hours thanks to its user-friendly interface.

Next month, I will delve into the robot’s specifications and examine why dispensing robots are no longer just a luxury but a necessity for medium to large pharmacies.

Pictured: Prestwich Pharmacy team member Melissa Cotton uses its newly installed Meditech robot.